1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging element and an imaging device using the same and, further, to a camera module provided with an imaging element and a camera system using the same and an optical module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a camera module using an imaging element is required to be mounted in a small information terminal, such as a personal computer or a mobile viewphone, as a camera system including a signal processing system. With this requirement, there is a stronger demand for a reduction in the size of a camera module.
A conventionally known camera module using an imaging element, such as a CCD imaging element or a CMOS imaging element, uses as a function device an imaging device of a QFP (Quad Flat Package) type which hermetically seals a chip-shaped imaging element in a hollow package. In a well-known camera module of this type, the above-mentioned package is mounted on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, and a lens unit for image formation is mounted on the upper portion of the package.
In the case of the camera module constructed as described above, the thickness of the entire module is the sum total of the thickness of the imaging element package, the mounting substrate and the lens unit constituting the same. Thus, to achieve a reduction in the thickness of the camera module, it is necessary to reduce the thickness of each component.
At present, however, there is a limitation to a reduction in the thickness of the imaging device package, the mounting substrate and the lens unit. Thus, it is very difficult to achieve a further reduction in the thickness of the camera module.